Author Archives: George Rogu M.D. CPE

Dr. George Rogu is an accomplished pediatrician standing at the forefront of providing advanced pediatric care on Long Island. He has created cutting edge programs that utilize technology to deliver the latest in care and medical information to patients. He specializes in guiding small private practices through transformations that focus on innovation and updating services to provide advanced medical care.

Essential First Aid Tips for Moms: Dealing with Cuts, Scrapes, and Bruises

Title: Essential First Aid Tips for Moms: Dealing with Cuts, Scrapes, and Bruises

As a mom, it’s almost inevitable that you’ll encounter cuts, scrapes, and bruises in your child’s active and adventurous life. While these minor injuries are a part of childhood, it’s crucial to know how to provide prompt and effective first aid to ensure proper healing and prevent infection. In this blog post, we’ll share essential first aid tips for moms to help them confidently manage cuts, scrapes, and bruises in their children.

  1. Cleanse the Wound: The first step in treating a cut or scrape is to gently cleanse the wound with clean, running water. Avoid using alcohol or hydrogen peroxide, as these can delay healing and damage healthy tissues. Pat the area dry with a clean towel or gauze.
  2. Apply an Antiseptic: After cleaning the wound, apply a mild antiseptic, such as hydrogen peroxide or povidone-iodine, to help prevent infection. Be sure to follow the instructions on the label and use it sparingly, as excessive use may delay healing.
  3. Cover with a Bandage: If the cut or scrape is small and not bleeding excessively, cover it with a sterile adhesive bandage or gauze pad to protect it from dirt and bacteria. Change the bandage and reapply antiseptic as needed.
  4. Elevate and Ice Bruises: For bruises, elevate the affected area and apply an ice pack wrapped in a towel to reduce swelling and relieve pain. Avoid placing ice directly on the skin to prevent frostbite.
  5. Monitor for Signs of Infection: Keep a close eye on the cut, scrape, or bruise for any signs of infection, such as increased redness, warmth, swelling, pus, or fever. If you notice any of these signs, seek medical attention promptly.
  6. Comfort and Reassure Your Child: It’s essential to provide comfort and reassurance to your child during the first aid process. Explain what happened in a calm and reassuring manner, and distract them with comforting words or activities to help minimize distress.
  7. Teach Good Hygiene Habits: As part of first aid, emphasize the importance of good hygiene habits to your child. Encourage them to wash their hands thoroughly before and after touching a cut or scrape, and avoid picking at scabs to prevent infection.
  8. Seek Medical Attention for Severe Injuries: While most cuts, scrapes, and bruises can be effectively managed at home, some may require medical attention. If the injury is deep, long, or caused by a dirty or rusty object, or if your child experiences severe pain, excessive bleeding, or signs of infection, consult a healthcare professional.

In conclusion, knowing how to provide proper first aid for cuts, scrapes, and bruises is an essential skill for moms. By following these tips, you can effectively manage minor injuries and promote healing in your child. Remember to always seek professional medical advice for severe injuries or signs of infection. With prompt and appropriate first aid, you can help your child bounce back from minor injuries and continue to enjoy their active childhood adventures.

“AFTER SCHOOL HYGIENE HABITS”

Girl eating breakfast cereal

AFTER SCHOOL HYGIENE HABITS”
WITH DR. JENNIFER GALLUB

In our most recent COVID-19 video update, Dr. Jennifer Gallub has decided to talk about after school hygiene and ways to prevent the contamination of COVID-19 in your home.

Click the video link below to see what she has to say!

Our office is open for appointments and virtual appointments using ANYTIMEpediatrics are available as well, so whichever way we can help you, we will! Please do not let regular checkups lapse and health issues go untreated, they can worsen and lead to other issues later AND STAY UP TO DATE WITH VACCINES!

When children come home from school, parents are often wondering what germs they could be bringing into their home and what they can do to prevent germs or “COVID hitchhikers” from contaminating their home.

To prevent potential COVID-19 germs from entering your home, it is important to have a well developed routine for children to do when walking in the door.

Here are a few things that Dr. Jennifer Gallub does with her family to prevent any hitchhiking germs from contaminating her home.

LEAVE SHOES, BACKPACKS & COATS AT THE DOOR
WASH HANDS IMMEDIATELY!
CHANGE OUT OF EXTERIOR CLOTHING & PLACE THEM IN THE LAUNDRY
THINGS THAT YOU CAN CLEAN/DISINFECT:
ALL LAPTOPS, CHROMEBOOKS, PHONES AND/OR TABLETS NEED TO BE CLEANED WITH A 70% ALCOHOL WIPE ON A DAILY BASIS!
(SEE PROPER CLEANING INSTRUCTIONS ON THE MANUFACTURER’S WEBSITE FOR EACH DEVICE TO PREVENT DAMAGE)
WASH COATS, BACKPACKS & LUNCHBOXES ONCE/WEEK IN THE WASHING MACHINE OR WITH A SPRAY CLEANER IF THEY ARE NOT MACHINE WASHABLE.

Sincerely,

RBK Pediatrics

Primary care when you want it.
Urgent care when you need it.
Services provided by physicians.

The SMARTER Solution to Screen Time

ADHD child

We hope that you and your family are staying safe and healthy during this coronavirus pandemic.  We understand that many families have been directly affected by the drastic changes to everyday life, work and school. 

We hope the information in these newsletters have brought you some peace of mind and helped you get through this pandemic together.

Since many children have switched to a hybrid school schedule (online and in-class learning) or maybe only online learning… children have been using computers, tablets, and/or other devices much more often. 

It is important to pay attention to how long your child is using these devices, or in other words… it is important to monitor their Screen Time!

Our highly qualified physician, Dr. Linda Lukose, has created the acronym

“S.M.A.R.T.E.R.” for parents to use & follow when monitoring their child’s screen time.  

The SMARTER Solution to Screen

Time with Dr. Linda Lukose

See the below for information from the video!

S.M.A.R.T.E.R.

SCHEDULE
Be sure to schedule “play time” and “screen time” in your child’s routine.

Be conscious of how much time they’re spending on their homework/classwork & the amount of time that they’ve spent on the computer. Try to schedule breaks in between screen usage!

MOVE
Movement is important!  So make sure your child moves away from their screens regularly!

Children may get up to go take a drink of water every 30 minutes to 1 hour to be sure they keep their body moving throughout the day!  “Look away and do some stretches!”

ALERTS (ON PHONE)
You can use reminders on your phone to help you schedule breaks, and you can set an alert for when your child has had too much screen time! BUT…

Alerts can also be distracting, so be sure to put phones out of reach and not to immediately look at it when it’s time for breaks.

READ
To minimize screen usage, you can print out worksheets & homework as often as possible so that they are able to read hard copies instead of using their screens.

Read is also used to mean read a book instead of playing on devices and video games, etc.

TURN OFF DEVICES
Turn off those televisions and gaming systems.  It is not healthy to go from one screen to another all day long.

Encourage kids to gravitate towards screen-free interests like music, playing instruments, doing outdoor activities like taking walks and playing with pets!

EAT REGULAR MEALS
Eat 3 healthy meals regularly per day!

Consider making kitchens and/or dining rooms “Screen-Free Zones!”  Parents can model this behavior by putting their phones away as well.  Kids will follow the good examples made by their parent(s).

Cooking with your child is also great screen-free time and fun family activity as well!

Just like how our phones and devices need recharging… human bodies need time to recharge as well! 
RECHARGE ⚡

By placing your child’s device away from where they are sleeping, it will help reduce distractions in their sleep schedules.  This may also include turning off alerts and notifications for the night.

Thank you for choosing RBK Pediatrics and Urgent Care Center for all of your child’s medical needs!  If you have any questions or need to schedule an appointment, feel free to contact our office with any of the contact methods provided below!

Sincerely,

RBK Pediatrics

What’s the Deal with Warts?

Warts in Children

Even though many associate warts with old age, kids actually get warts more often than adults do. Warts are contagious — it’s possible to get an infection that causes a wart by touching something that someone with a wart has just touched. However, it’s important to remember that even though warts are uncomfortable, they’re usually not medically problematic.

If your child gets a wart, make sure he or she does not pick, rub, or scratch it. The best practice is to cover the wart, if possible. Here’s a quick parent’s guide to warts and wart care.

Read More

Sugary Cereal: What Are Your Kids Really Eating?

Girl eating breakfast cereal

Getting the kids fed and ready in time for school in the morning can be a struggle – even on the best of days. It’s no wonder that that the taste and convenience of a quick bowl of their favorite cereal is the go-to breakfast option for many. Unfortunately, this easy solution is contributing to children eating up to half of their daily recommended sugar intake before they even leave the house for school.

Read More

ADHD 101: The Basics

ADHD child

Many adults jokingly blame ADHD for their own occasional daydreaming or moments of inattention, but for some children, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder is far from a laughing matter. The National Institute of Mental Health defines ADHD as a brain disorder marked by an ongoing pattern of inattention and/or hyperactivity-impulsivity that interferes with functioning or development. More specifically, ADHD affects the executive functioning skills of the brain – functions like concentration, organizational skills, and impulsivity.

Read More

Childhood Asthma: Everything You Need to Know

Childhood Asthma

Asthma affects people of all ages, but it often begins in childhood. Asthma is the leading cause of illness of children – around 7 million children have asthma in the US alone, and for unknown reasons that number is on a steady rise. As a parent, it’s important to be aware of the signs, symptoms, and treatment options for this common affliction.

Read More

Delayed Walking in Babies: Is Your Baby Not Walking Yet?

Baby Learning to Walk

As a parent, you’ve probably been asked “Are they walking yet?” dozens of times. Learning to walk is a major milestone in your baby’s life and many parents feel frustration and worry over when their baby will take her very first step.

First off, it’s important to remember that there’s little a parent can do to speed up the timetable of walking. Secondly, there’s a large variation between babies on what age they learn to walk. Another baby the same age may learn to walk 3-4 months earlier than your child, and both babies could still be in the normal age range for learning to walk. The timing of the first steps depends on a variety of factors and delayed walking isn’t necessarily an indicator of a problem.

Read More